Gang-plow.



No. 814,046. PATBNTED BAR. 6, 1906. P. S. HOUGHTON in R. H. DBYARMUND.

GANG PLOW. nruoyrmx FILED our. 2, was.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I yfi iwsses.

p'z'fiamilad-r N0. 814,046. PATENTED MAR. s, 1906. P. s. HOUGHTON & R. H. DBYARMOND.

GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED 00?. 2.1905.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2,

3y 7Z3 {rife/ways.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP S. HOUGHTON AND RICHARD H. DEYARMONI), OF GRAND FORKS. NORTH DAKOTA.

GANG-PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed October 2,1905. Serial No- 280,868.

To J1 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, Pniur Hor onroiv and RICHARD H. DEYARMOND, citizens of the United Sta1es,residin at Grand Forks,in the county of Grand For s and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and usefui Improvements in Gang-llows; and we do hereby declare the following to be a foil, ciear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to gang-plows, and especially tothose that are used as attachnients to traction-engines and are drawn thereby.

One of the principal features of the invention is directed to improved means for raising and lowering the several plows or several sets of plows, and it includes means whereby the power from the engine may be utilized to raise the heavy plows out of the ground.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, wherein like characters indieate ike parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the improved ang-plow attached to a traction-engine, on y the rear portion of the latter being shown. Fig. 2 is a. detail in transverse vertical section taken on the line of m of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fi 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken from out to rear of the piow on the irregular line m x of Fig. 1. F i 5 is a detail in section on the line x 2: of ig. l, and Fig. 6 is a detail in section on the line 3 x of Fig. 1.

Of the parts of the traction-engine shown in the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the frame, the numeral 2 the traction-wheels, and the numeral 3 the sprocket carried by the hub of one of said traction-wheels.

The numeral 4 indicates a beam the intermediate portion of which is ivotally connected at 5 to the rear portion 0 the frame 1, with freedom for oscillatory movements in a verticai lane transversely of the engine.

The numeral 6 indicates as an entirety the frame of the plow, which frame is approximately triangular in plan view, is trussed and braced, and is provided at its forward ortion with a platform-section 7, u on whic latter the operator may stand. he extreme forward portion of the plow-frame is pivotaliy connected to the ends of the oscillatory beam '4 by hinge-like couplings 8. The inclined rear ends of the plow-frame recede rearward g and toward the left with respect to the direc ,1 tion of travel of the engine and the plow attachment. The righthand side of t is plow- 7 frame is supported by a heavy caster-wheel J, the fork of which is journaled in a bearing i 10, that projects from the righthand side of said frame. The left-hand side of the plowfrazne is likewise sup orted by a heavy caster wheel 11, the fork oi which is journaled in a i hearing 12, that is ri idly secured to and p11 1 jects from the left-hand side of said frame. The castcr-wheei 9 is located considerably ahead of the caste -wl1cel 11, so that the latter-wheel constitutes the chief support for the rear portion of the plow-frame.

The plows 13 are located in a diagonallyextended row and, as shown, approximately underlie the oblique rear edge of the plow-frame 6. The plows 13 are rigidly connected to the rear ends of plow-beams 14, that are pivotally connected to corresponding drag-bars 15, which in turn are )ivotaily attached at their forward ends to t e bearings 16, rigidl r secured to the forward under portion 0 the {:lOVW-flfilhfi. The blow-beams 14 and drag are 15 are connected in iateraliy-s seed pairs by bolts 17, that also afford s in es to ground-wheels that are interposei between the said laterally-spaced pairs of parts. On each plow-beam I4 is a slottedplateli). The plates 19 are connected in pairs by transverse rear portions of liftin -hails 20, which bails are pivoted at their orward ends to bearings 21 on the under portion of the frame 6. The intermediate transverse rear portions of the lifting-bails are pivotally connected to the lower ends of lifting-links 22, which at their u er ends are pivoted to the lower arms oi ell-crank levers 23, which in turn are pivoted to bearings 24 on the tion of the plow-frame 6.

Journaled in bearings 25 on the latform 7 is a transverse counter-shaft 26, that is pro vided at its ri htrhand end with a sprocket 27, over whic and the sprocket 3 of'the right-hand traction-wheel 2 is mounted to run along s rocket-chain 28. This countershaft 26 Wii therefore be kept under rotation by the advance movement of the tractionen inc.

T er each beiicrank 23, and hence for each pair of piows, there is a lifting-lever 29,which is pivoted on the counter-sh aft 26 and is conupper porneeted to the upper arm of the correspondin bell-crank 23 by a long link 30. The lin s 30 are adjustably attached to the upturned arms of the respective bell-cranks 6, this, as shown, being accomplished by providing the arms of said bell-cranks with sev- 1 eral erforations 31 for the reception of the coup ingin 32. The several links 30 are of different ength because of the different positions of the bell-cranks 23 with respect to the counter-shaft 26. The levers 29 as far up as their ivotal connections with the links 30 are blfurcated, and between the prongs of each thereof is a ratchet-wheel 33. The several ratchet-wheels 33 are rigidly secured to the counter-shaft 26. Pivoted to each lever 29 for cooperation with the corresponding ratchet-wheel 33 is a pawl 34, that is normally held out of engagement with the teeth l thereof by a coiled spring 35. (Best shown in Fig. 5.) The free ends of each attae led to the rear ends of fiexi ile connections 36, that run over guide-sheaves 37 on t the shaft 26 and extend forward. Mounted in suitable hearings on the forward portion of the platform 7 and extendm which there is one for each flexible connection 36. The said flexible connections 36 at their forward emls are attached to the crankarms of the respective crank-shafts 3S, and the said crank-shafts are provided with forwardly-projecting footieccs or arm-like projections 31), that extent side bv side in close proximity. The several pawls 34 may be thrown into engagement with the teeth of the respective ratchet-wheel 33 by stepping on the. corresponding foot-pieces 39. We also provide means whereby the several footpieces 3!) may be de iresscd by one action, and this device is preferablv in the form of a stepped or zigzagged f ootspiece 40, that overlies the arms of the several foot-pieces 39, is )ivoted at one end to a bracket 41 on the latform 7, and is yieldingly held upward ty :1 spring 42. (For this construction see Fi s. 1 and 2.) in front of each ratchet-wheel 33 and rigidly secured to the platform 7 is a pawl arm or projection 42. that lies in the path of movement ofthe beveled end of the corresponding pawl and is adapted to positively release the same from its ratchet-wheel at a time and for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. When the levers 29 are forced forward and downward, approximatelyl as shown in Fig. 4, the plows will be raised out of the ground and in ino erative positions, and in such positions said evers areadapted to be locked by latches 43, that are pivoted to the latform 7 at 44, are subject to com- PIBSSGtFCUllOtl springs 45, and are rovided at their free upper ends with lockioulders 46 and. with cam extensions 47. When the levers .29 are pressed downward, they engage the cam extensions 47 and ress the latches 43 laterally, so that the saig levers pass beawl 34 are (r transversely thereof are a |)llllt\l\l of crank-shafts 33, of

low the lock-shoulders 46, whereupon the said levers become locked by said shoulders. i The transversely-extended trip-rod 48 is, as shown, passed through erforations 49 in the several latches 43 am for action on the j latches is provided with trip collars or projections 00. At one end the trip-rod 48 is pivotally connected to the rear arm of the rockshaft 51, that is mounted in suitable hearings on the latform 7 and is provided at its forward endhvith a foot-piece 52. Norl mally, or when the plow is being drawn over the road or from place to place with the l plows out of action, the plows are locked in their uppermost positions by the respective latches 43. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the trip-collar 50 of the trip-rod 48 at the extreme right looking at the plows from the rear normally stands just out of engagement with the right-hand latch 43, that the intermediate trip-collar 50 stands a considerable distance away from the intermediate latch 43, and that the left-hand trip-collar 50 stands a still greater distance away from the left-hand latch 43. With this construction it follows that when the operator steps upon the foot-piece 52 of the crankshaft 51 the trip-rod 48 will be forced toward the left and the pairs of plows from the right toward the left will be dro ped into action one after the other. By t 1s arrangement and by the proper manipulation of the tri rod 48 the several pairs of plows may e started into action on a proximately the same transverse line. urthermore, by throwin the lows into action in succession the machine is relieved from sudden or intense strains that would be produced by throwing all of the plows into action at the same time. When the lows are. in action, the wheels 18 run over tlie ground and limit the downward pitch of the plow-beams.

Very considerable force is required to lift the plows out of the ground, and hence the desirability of the means already described, whereby power from the engine may be utilized to lift the plows. The action of these plow lifting devices more specifically described is as follows: By steppin on one of the foot-pieces 39 the pawl 34 of the corre sponding lifting-lever 29 is thrown into engagement with the cooperating ratchetwheel 33 of the constantly-driven shaft 26. When the lifting-lever is thus coupled to said ratchet-wheel for rotation with said shaft, the lorward-and-downward rotar movement of the lever 29, acting through t e link 30, bellcrank 23, and link 22, positively lifts the corresponding pair of plows. When sufficient movement has been imparted to the lever 29 to accomplish the raisingof the plows, as above described, the corresponding latch 43 opecates on said lever to latch the same against return movement. A very sli ht movement of the lever 29 in excess of that shown as resting upon the groun When 5o nected to said shaft at will, substantially as 6o gang-plow, of a shaft driven from one of thrrequired to raise the plows subjects said lever I to its latch 43, brings the beveled end of the pawl 34 ainst the awl-trip 42, thereby I positively orcing sai pawl out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 33. Of course the foot should be removed from the foot-piece 39 before the lever 29 has been moved to its extreme bositiornthereby permitting the pawl 34 to be released by its spring 35. The wl-trip 42', however, operates as a safety 1 evice to positively force the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel at the proper time to prevent breaking of thearts in case the said pawl should not be reeased by its spring 25 or in case the 0 erator should neglect to remove his foot 0111 said foot-piece. As already indicated, b steppin on the common foot-piece 40 all three 0 the foot-pieces 39 will be depressed and all the plow-lifting devices will be thrown into action. It is important, however, to note (see Fig. 2) that the foot-piece 40 is so formed that when depressed it will depress in succession the foot-pieces 39, thereby throwing the several plow-lifting levers into action in succession, and thereby graduall subjecting the shaft 26 to its maximum li ting load. In Fig. 3 the lifting-levers 29 are, as shown, turned vertically upward and the lows are the plows are dropped below the surface of the ground, or, in other words, into action, said levers 29 will of course be turned backward, or toward, the rear of the machine.

We do not, of course, limit ourselves to the details of construction illustrated in the drawings and herein specifically described. The devices for lifting the plows and for dro roadly new.

The invention also involves other features of construction, all of which will lie-particu- Iarl pointed out in the claims.

hat we claim, and desire to secure b Letters Patent of the United States, is as f0 lows:

I; In a gang-plow, the combination with a power-driven shaft, of a plurality of independent plow-lifting devices arranged to be condescribed.

3: In a ganglow, the combination with a power-driven sliaft provided with several ratchet-wheels, of plow-lifting levers havin independent connections to the lows an provided with pawls for coupling t em to the respective ratchet wheels, at will, substantially as described,

3. The combination with a traction-driven traction-wheels, a plurality of fplow-lifting devices, and independent means or couplin said plow-lifting devices to said shaft at wil to effect the lifting of the plows, substantially as described.

4. In a gang-plow, the combination with a shaft and means for rotati the same, under the forward movement of t e machine, of a' vices, means for coupling said plow-liftingdevices to said shaft at will, latches operative'on said plow-lifting devices to hold the plows in raised positions, and means for automatically disconnecting said plow-liftin devices from said shaft, after they have een secured by said latches, substantially as described.

6. In a power-driven gang-plow, a plowlifting device, and means whereb T said lifting device may be operated at wil either by hand or by the plow, substantia y as described.

7. In a gang-plow, the combination with a power-driven counter-shaft having a plurality of ratchet-wheels, of liftinglevers pivoted on said shaft and connected to the plows, pawls carried by said levers and normally held out of enga ement with the teeth of the respective ratchet-wheels, independent connections for throwing said pawls into action on their respective ratchet-wheels at will, latches operative on said levers to hold the plows in raised positions, and independent trips for positively forcin said awls out of engagement with said rate et-w eels, after said levers have been secured by said latches, substantially as described.

8. In a gang-plow, the combination with a power-driven shaft, of a plurality of independent plow-lifting devices, means for coupling said plow-lifting devices to said shaft, at will, involving a common controller arranged to couple the several lifting devices in succession, substantially as described.

9. In a gangplow, the combination with a power-driven shaft, a plurality of independent plow-lifting devices, means for coupling said plowlifting devices to said shaft, latches o erative on said low-lifting devices to hold t e plows in raised positions, and a latch-trip arranged to trip the several latches in succession, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof we allix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP s. HOUGHTON. RICHARD H. DEYARMOND.

Witnesses:

R. H. Bosarm G. L. SHEEKS.

ower device of said gang- 

